


Come Hell or High Water

by puppyfacedbrokenboys



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Beyond the Grave, Character Death, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-13
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-20 13:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4788512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puppyfacedbrokenboys/pseuds/puppyfacedbrokenboys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Come hell or high water, I’ll always be your brother.”</p><p>[Inspired by Charlie St. Cloud.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come Hell or High Water

**Author's Note:**

> Fic translated into French here by @rikurt36  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12134049/20/Ethan-et-Aiden-Collection-d-OS-traduits

Ethan walked and walked and walked until he made it to a clearing. He was seemingly in the middle of no where, but muscle memory took him here. It was just a small break in a stretch of woods that he hadn’t been to in years.

The wind swirled around him, whispering, and Ethan shivered with his hands in his pockets.

_“Come hell or high water, I’ll always be your brother.”_

_“Promise?” The word was utter thickly, mingled with blood._

_“I promise.”_

He stepped forward until he was at the center of the clearing. The last time he’d been there, he almost hadn’t been able to leave. Blurs of movement flashed around him as Ethan stood. Flashes of electric blue and gold eyes, slashing claws and screaming. Deep flashes of red coating everything.

A battle happened here. Ethan could still smell the lingering scent of blood and violence; anger and fear. It soaked the place, even years later.

This was the place everything changed.

“Didn’t think you’d ever come here.” The voice should have made him jump, but it didn’t. The sudden chill that brushed his skin and the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end should worry him, but it didn’t. Turning his head and seeing his brother, in solid form should scare him, but it didn’t. It wasn’t the first time he’s seen Aiden since that night at the high school.

“Yeah, well, funny how things happen that make you remember other things…” Ethan replied in answer, shrugging. He was cold and numb, and he shouldn’t be there, but there was a pull and his body followed it. He looked away from his brother.

“ Do you remember what happened here?“ His voice was hoarse and deep, dull. And it was brittle, like at any moment he could break apart.

From beside him he heard Aiden let out a breath. “How could I forget?” His voice matched Ethan’s in sadness, but still was as strong as Ethan remembered. That was the thing - Ethan was supposed to be the strong one, but Aiden was always stronger than him. Even in death.

At Aiden’s response, Ethan couldn’t help but give a small smile. But it quickly faded. “Come hell or high water, I’ll always be your brother.”

Without missing a beat, Aiden’s hand - cold and strong, so strong and heavy - rested on his shoulder. “Promise?”

“I promise,” Ethan echoed the Aiden in his memory. The Aiden that had been hovering over a beat and bloody Ethan, silently sobbing as shaking hands pressed to keep his brother from bleeding out before his body could heal itself.

Aiden had saved him once (more than once, honestly), but Ethan hadn’t been able to return the favor when it counted.

Aiden squeezed his shoulder and then dropped his hand. Ethan didn’t turn to look at him; didn’t need to. “Remember what else you said that night?”

Ethan pulled a sharp breath into his mouth, the cold air searing in his burning chest. “Does it hurt you as much as it hurts me?” His voice was so soft, broken, and his whole body shook as all the feeling he’d tried to block out came back. His heart stung in his chest as his body throbbed.

“Yeah, pup. It does.” It’s the same response Aiden had told him that night in the clearing, but it’s more gruff, sharp this time. It’s Aiden letting him know that even now, as he stands beside him, he  _hurts_.

They’re silent for a while until Aiden’s arm snaked around Ethan’s neck and Ethan is pulled into his body; it feels like he’s being embraced by a storm.

“I’ll be here waiting.” It’s a finality; a promise. And it left Ethan alone in the clearing. But instead of feeling heavy and alone, Ethan feels lighter than he had. Because Aiden would be there for him like he always had.


End file.
